Cleaning atomizer

[rickstar009]

Rick--there is the key--the atomizer can not be to the point that they are cold--too much build up on the coil. I sent out Terraphon 3 more atomizers to run some more testing with and some new ideas are coming on board this weekend so be on the watch out for the new videos of the findings and results--Sun

coolio Brian, yeah for sure i will watch out for that video, sounds interesting.

They really need to change the design of these atomizers, that’s where the testing should really start. they are way!! to delicate in the way that they are built at the moment...flick that flimsy coil and install some type of hyper drive style atomizer inids’ ..then we can go where no man has boldly gone before ..To the moon with a still fully functioning atomizer that will not quit on us all the way there and back without dying
.....................(now i know that sounds silly, but you know what i mean mate) lol

I guess necessity really is! the mother of all invention, and it sure is nessaccery to change these p*ss weak att’s inside


thanks for the info my friend

 

[ApOsTle51]

replacable , plug in coil is the way to go.

 

[SnarkyClark]

So this may be out of place, but what about preventive cleaning?

I noticed the coke soak, but has anyone tried simply soaking them in plain water for 24 hours? I have been placing my M4 atomizers in a little bottle full of water - snapped onto their covers that they came with for protection - then giving it a good shake and setting it on the nightstand for 24 hours each week.

It's only been a couple weeks, but they are still indistinguishable from new. Once I take them out of the bottle, I just blow them off (through the middle from the battery side, then on the screen) and prime them with 3 drops of smoking fluid.

The first couple of drags taste like watery feet, then they spring to life all sweet with plenty of juicy vapor...

 

[jimgman]

replacable , plug in coil is the way to go.

interesting...so they can charge 15 dollars for these "advanced" atomizers, and 7 bucks for replacement coils? i have an idea, lets just make the whole thing disposable and cheap, like 10 bucks.....oh wait..

 

[rsngfrce]

i have an idea, lets just make the whole thing disposable and cheap, like 10 bucks.....oh wait..

Well, if you really want them DISPOSABLE... you can get them for like 2 bucks including cart & juice...

 

[Sun Vaporer]

interesting...so they can charge 15 dollars for these "advanced" atomizers, and 7 bucks for replacement coils? i have an idea, lets just make the whole thing disposable and cheap, like 10 bucks.....oh wait..

Jim I say that picture many months ago but could not find it again--shows how easy it would be to have the bridge hinged and be able to pull out the old coil and plug a new on in--Thanks, Sun

 

[Kate]

It's from a post by Jarvis - http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-suppliers-whats-my-atomizer-2.html#post23493

 

[exogenesis]

Think that's a very good idea, might be a bit fiddly to insert the things,
they're tiny.

 

[exogenesis]

What cleans the carbon off of my atomizer ?

Well here's a gunked up one (which was working before I dismantled it for this test)
but was giving a horrible burnt taste, even with strong Loranne flavour added.

Start (water rinsed):

Dirty!

2 hour IPA (rubbing alcohol) soak then hot water flush:

No change.

Overnight CocaCola soak:

No change.

Half hour in an Industrial high-power sonicating bath of IPA:

No change (!)

Going to get a bit medieval on it now:

1 hour soak in 90% sulphuric acid drain cleaner (much caution was taken):

No change !!!

Also soaked some other atomizer bits in acid:
the metal mesh went black & stank of hydrogen sulphide (rotten eggs),
and the silicone (?) rubber seal dissolved completely,
the brass connectors & stainless steel clip were OK though, not that that's much consolation.

1 hour soak in 45% w/v sodium hydroxide (caustic soda):

Something might be actually getting cleaner here ?

Found a bottle of Domestos sink & pipe unblocker
= stong caustic (slightly weaker strength than the above, but also contains bleach & detergent), very thick liquid.


Tried this for a cold soak of a different atomizer coil/wick:



Looks like things is going on, bubbles from the wick & black bits floating about.

So boiled the first atomizer for 30 mins in this stuff
put a small vial into a saucepan of boiling water:






Definitely getting the fibres clean, and the main carbon cake seems to be breaking up.
Might be worth exploring further...

Sharp eyes might see that the coil got snapped of its solder blobs,
this happened while I was poking it with tweezers,
(I did that cos the carbon cake was easy to break up mechanically at this point).
& I think the acid soak probably weakened the wires significantly.

Think I'll now try an overnight soak with hot (but not boiling) Domestos drain cleaner,
with another complete atomizer that still works, but is also naff tasting.
then shoot some water into it vigorously.
Might try to find a steam cleaner as well, see if it can flush out the weakened broken-up carbon bits.

(disclaimer, unless you are really confident, please don't try the strong acid or boiling caustic thing yourself)

 

[RjG]

Nice tests, exogenesis, and really great pics.

You should try the "red hot coil plunged into cold water" too, just for fun. That just might shatter that fat lump in the middle With your disassembled atomizer, you could try that with a couple AA batteries and some alligator clip leads.

 

[e-pipeman]

Hi Exo,

I'd be careful heating Domestos - you don't want you expose yourself to chlorine gas!

Good luck with your experiments.

 

[surbitonPete]

Exo is confirming what I have found so far...there just doesn't seem to be 'any' harmless cleaner that will dissolve all the black gunk build up.

 

[kinabaloo]

Hydrogen peroxide would be better than chlorine bleach as an alkali bath; might react with carbon, not sure. Off the shelf strength would be fine; still take care with it. Give it an hour to work; use neat. Rinse after.

 

[exogenesis]

OK good ideas, further things to try then:

hot plunge into cold water (not sure how you'de do this with an intact atomizer tho)
steam squirt after softening in cautic/bleach/detergent,
hydrogen peroxide (good idea).

So shopping list is:
bottle of 20 vol H2O2
hand held steam cleaner

(I dont think much chlorine was evolved,
I did have the place well ventilated anyway, just in case)

 

[~Wonder]

I've heard that a soaking a pan in hot water with a dryer sheet is an excellent way to get rid of burnt on messes. If it works for burnt food, it might work for burnt on atomizer crud.

 

[ted26]

I have tried allsorts of methods and conclude that the only one that works for me is to pump 4.2 volts for 10/12 secs directly on the coil burning the crud off.

And sometimes blowing the coil to bits

 

[newfie4ever]

I know I am new here but I have done a lot of reading and learned a lot from it. I have 6 atomizers and all of them are working from great to good so far. They are about 4 months old so they have see a lot of use. I drip my liquid on them also. Anyway I read here that Pepsi would remove the buildup on the atomizers so I went out and got myself a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi (some for me and some to test). I can honestly say that after 30 minutes in a glass (stirring occasionally) then washed in hot water and blow dry, it looks and works like new. It is really giving me a throat hit and lots of vapor. Maybe its just luck but I will be trying this from now on when the vapor slows down. Cheap enough to try and no after taste when smoking.

 

[newfie4ever]

I know I am new here but I have done a lot of reading and learned a lot from it. I have 6 atomizers and all of them are working from great to good so far. They are about 4 months old so they have see a lot of use. I drip my liquid on them also. Anyway I read here that Pepsi would remove the buildup on the atomizers so I went out and got myself a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi (some for me and some to test). I can honestly say that after 30 minutes in a glass (stirring occasionally) then washed in hot water and blow dry, it looks and works like new. It is really giving me a throat hit and lots of vapor. Maybe its just luck but I will be trying this from now on when the vapor slows down. Cheap enough to try and no after taste when smoking.

Forgot to mention I used Pespi Max and dropped 3 or 4 drops of juice on it before puffing. After the 3rd puff it was working great.

 

[chuckie]

I did 1hr. pepsi,steam clean (about 3-4 five second blasts each end)than blow dry. Put 2 drops on atm. After 5-6 puffs it's working like new. The 2 atms. I used were 4-5 weeks old.

 

[strayling]

Has anyone tried using one of those water toothpicks as a way to blast off the carbon?

(Excuse me if it's been asked before - this is a long thread to scan.)